The Carnot cycle uses only two thermal

reservoirs – one at high temperature T1 and the

other at two temperature T2.

If the process undergone by the working fluid

during the cycle is to be reversible, the heat
transfer must take place with no temperature
difference, i.e. it should be isothermal.
The Carnot cycle consists of a reversible
isothermal expansion from state 1 to 2,
reversible adiabatic expansion from state 2 to 3,
a reversible isothermal compression from state 3
to 4 followed by a reversible adiabatic
compression to state 1.

The thermal efficiency,  is given by

 = Net work done / Energy absorbed as heat

During processes 2-3 and 4-1, there is no heat

interaction as they are adiabatic.

2 2
dv
Q1 2   Pdv   RT1  RT1 ln(v 2 / v1 )
1 1
v

Similarly for the process 3-4,

4 4
dv
Q3 4   Pdv   RT2
3 3
v
 RT2 ln(v 4 / v3 )

Net heat interaction = Net work done

= RT1ln(v2/v1) + RT2ln(v4/v3)
= RT1ln(v2/v1) - RT2ln(v3/v4)
The processes 2-3 and 4-1 are reversible,
adiabatic and hence
T1v2-1 = T2v3-1
Or, v2/v3 = (T2/T1)1/(-1)
And T2v4-1 = T1v1-1

Or, v1/v4 = (T2/T1)1/(-1)

v2/v3 = v1/v4 or v2/v1 = v3/v4

 = {RT1ln(v2/v1) - RT2ln(v3/v4)} / RT1ln(v2/v1)

 = (T1 – T2)/T1
= 1- T2/T1

The Carnot Principles

1. The efficiency of an irreversible heat engine
is always less than the efficiency of a
reversible one operating between same two
thermal reservoirs.
2. The efficiencies of all reversible heat
engines operating between the same two
thermal reservoirs are the same.
Lets us assume it is possible for an engine I to
have an efficiency greater than the efficiency of
a reversible heat engine R.

I > R

Let both the engines absorb same quantity of

energy Q1. Let Q and Q2 represent the energy
rejected as heat by the engines R, and I
respectively.

W I = Q1 - Q
WR= Q1 – Q2

I = WI / Q1 = (Q1 - Q)/Q1 = 1-Q/Q1

R = WR/Q1 = (Q1 - Q2)/Q1 = 1-Q2/Q1

Since I > R,

1-Q/Q1 > 1-Q2/Q1

or, Q < Q2
Therefore, WI (= Q1-Q) > WR (=Q1 – Q2)

Since the engine R is reversible, it can be made

to execute in the reverse order. Then, it will
absorb energy Q2 from the reservoir at T2 and
reject energy Q1 to the reservoir at T1 when work
WR is done on it.

If now engines I and R are combined, the net

work delivered by the combined device is given
by

WI – WR = Q1 – Q – (Q1 – Q2) = Q2 – Q

The combined device absorbs energy (Q2 – Q) as

heat from a single thermal reservoir and delivers
an equivalent amount of work, which violates
the second law of thermodynamics.

Hence, R  I
Carnot principle 2

Consider two reversible heat engines R1 and R2 ,

operating between the two given thermal
reservoirs at temperatures T1 and T2.

Let R1 > R2

Q1= energy absorbed as heat from the reservoir

at T1 by the engines R1 and R2, separately.
Q = energy rejected by reversible engine R 1 to
the reservoir at T2

Q2 = energy rejected by reversible engine R 2 to

the reservoir at T2.

WR1 = Q1 - Q = work done by a reversible

engine R1 .

WR2 = Q1 –Q2 = work done by a reversible

engine R2

According to assumption,

R1 > R2

Or, 1 – Q/Q1 > 1- Q2/Q1

Q1 –Q >Q1-Q2 or WR1 >WR2

WR1 – WR2 = (Q1 –Q) – (Q1- Q2) = Q2 – Q
Since the engine R2 is reversible, it can be made
to execute the cycle in the reverse by supplying
WR2.
Since WR1 > WR2 the reversible engine R2 can be
run as a heat pump by utilizing part of the work
delivered by R1.
For the combined device,

WR1 – WR2 = Q2 – Q, by absorbing energy Q2 –

Q from a single thermal reservoir which violates
the second law of thermodynamics.

Hence R1 > R2 is incorrect.

By similar arguments, if we assume that R2 >

R1 then,
R1  R2

Therefore, based on these two equations,

R1 = R2

The efficiency of a reversible heat engine is also

independent of the working fluid and depends
only on the temperatures of the reservoirs
between which it operates.